Vanilla Butter cake with Pink Buttercream Frosting

Hey this is my 1^st official cake with icing…..I was on the top of d world- I must say when my cake and icing came out better than what I expected…….Phew at least  I can hope to see myself improving my cake and icing skills now.

I used to cry poodles earlier whenever I followed a cake recipe word to word and my oven would break my heart turning what should have been a fluffy golden brown cake to a black burnt cake….

But today my efforts paid off well and I patted myself happily…finally  I did make a nice cake….and I can hope to make more and more….the cake came out buttery, fluffy and absolutely yummy…and the icing added to the yumminess…..

Everyone loved the cake…lil Aniket was ready to gulp in chunks morning afternoon and night….I was elated…..

For the cake: You can find the recipe here.

Pink Butter cream frosting

Ingredients

Butter (unsalted)-1 cup

Powdered sugar-3 cups (sifted)

Vanilla essence/strawberry essence-1 tsp.

Milk-4 tbsp

Method

Beat butter till soft and fluffy on high speed.

Beat sugar into butter at low speed until combined well.

Add essence and milk as required and beat at medium speed for 3 minutes.

Decorate the cake with the icing by applying it on the cake and its sides.

I sprinkled some Choco chips over the icing…..

Refrigerate if it is to be served later.

Chocolate Brownies

I love brownies. They are just out of d world? Don’t u think so…especially when you scoop it out with vanilla ice-cream….oh…its heaven

I just love the rich chocolaty taste of the brownies I made today….every bite rich with taste  chocolate and the occasional crunch of walnuts…perfect tea time snack .....with a cup of strong coffee for you …or a tall glass of milk for kiddos….

Being brownie crazy well I was excited while I made them and now very happy with the results…..This is recipe for keeps….

From Joy of baking

Ingredients

Cooking chocholate-150 gm(I used milk compound semisweet chocholate-Morde)

Butter-113 gms/1/2 cup(room temperature)

Cocoa powder-15 gms/2 tbsp

Granulated  sugar-1 cup /200 gms

Vanilla essence-1 tsp

Eggs-3(room temperature)

Salt-1/4 tsp

All purpose flour-3/4 cup(95 gms)

Walnuts/ choco chips-a handful of both

Method

Double boil butter (at room temperature) and chopped cooking chocolate (semi sweet) till both melt together and mix well.

Add sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla essence and use whisk to mix well

Whisk in eggs one at a time and mix well each time.

Add salt and flour and fold well

Add chopped walnuts and  or Choco chips and mix well

Take a greased 8 inch 2o cent metre baking pan.

Pour into the prepared pan Preheat oven to 180c.Bake for about25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist clumps clinging to it.

Note

Refrain from using electric mixer as you don’t have to aerate the mixture here.

Dulce De Leche Verrine

Anything made with Dulce De Leche is out of the world....I would call it caramelized condensed milk and it makes some wonderful desserts like the one below-.

                                                                                                                                                                                              This dessert is a heavy one....a real heavy one on your tummy....I had one glass and skipped my dinner instead.....I have used sponge cake as the 1st layer.....I had homemade sponge cake sitting in my pantry so I used up the spongecake instead of buying it from outside......

So  that's another dessert rich and creamy and easy to make.....hope you enjoy savouring it............

Ingredients

Layer 1

Sponge Cake-1 small.

Layer 2

Condensed Milk-1tin

Milk-3-4 cups

Sugar-1/4 cup

Fresh cream-1 small pack(Amul Cream)250 ml

Vanilla Essence- a few drops

Gelatin-1/4 cup or more

Layer 3

Whip cream powder-1cup

Cold water/Milk- As needed

Vanilla essence-a few drops

Colour- a few drops

Method

Layer1

You can see the recipe for Layer 1-Sponge cake here.

Layer 2

Dulce De Leche

In a pressure cooker place condensed milk tin and fill water till the can is fully immersed.

Close pressure cooker and cook on medium flame with weight on.After 1

st whistle reduce flame to low and cook for 45 minutes.

Allow cooker to cool and take out the can.Allow the can to cool and open it.Toffee like semi solid is 

Dulce de leche.

Take a thick bottomed pan and mix milk,dulce de leche,essence,cream and sugar.Bring to boil.

Bloom gelatin and add slowly to the mixture.Mix and cook well till slightly thick.

Allow to cool.Pour over 1st layer and refrigerate.

 Layer 3

Mix whip powder with milk/ water as required.Add vanilla essence also.In case you are using whip

cream whip with little sugar to soft peaks.

Serve dessert by layering whip cream over top of second layer .You can add praline also while serving.

Tomato soup

How about some hot hot soup? tomato soup?A nice warm starter to the main course isnt it? Well I love tomato soup...

 Soups are something we make often here especially for my son .... Lil Aniket.....Not that he adores it....or has more than a few spoonfuls....like how we say ''some thing is always better than nothing....''so i religiously make it often at home for him.....

Well the tomato soup recipes I viewed on the net were all different from each other....I have included the variations in the notes below.....I added  some capsicum to my Tomato soup....And it really tasted goood....Well it tasted goood without the capsicums too...............

Ingredients

Tomato-2-3 medium sized(I used 2)

Beetroot-1/2 of small sized

Potato-1 small

Onion-1/2 of one medium sized

Garlic-2 cloves

Cloves-2(grambu)

Cinnamon -1 inch peice

Butter-2 tbsp

Water

Capsicum-1/4 chpped

Pepper to taste
Salt

Method

Take some butter and fry onions,whole garlic cloves, cloves and cinnamon.

Saute capsicum in little butter seperately till soft and keep aside

Add onions,cloves and cinnamon to  tomatoes, betroot and potato and pressure cook.(3 whistles)

Grind the mixture after adding capsicum

Strain the mixture and  boil the strained tomato soup adding a little butter

Sprinkle pepper and salt and serve hot.

Notes

You can add the sauted capsicum to the vegetables and pressure cook it with the other vegetables instead of adding it while grinding.

You can use just a piece of  carrot instead of betroot used.

Some add 2 tbsp of  split yellow gram dal(split  yellow moong dal )

Add 1 tsp corn flour mixed with water to thicken soup

Some add 1/2 inch ginger chopped while cooking vegetables

Sprinkling dried basil leaves adds to the taste.

Celery -2 inch stock can be added while frying vegetables

Some add ½ of 1 red capsicum roasted  with vegetables.

Sabudana Vada / Sago Vada

My mother loves sabudana in any form - whether its kichidi or whether its  vada(dumplings) or kheer….she loves it…..especially  sabudana  kichidi made by her elder sister P. .....So she was elated when I decided I was to make sabudana  vada today.

The sago vadas came out golden brown and crisp…The recipe I used mentioned using lime juice which I omitted .Well the vada tasted equally good without the lemon juice too….Aniket got up from his sleep rubbing his eyes….he sniffed…something wonderful was cooking in the kitchen? He peeped in ……he asked me to lift him up so that he could see what’s cooking….I fed him a little piece of the vada….yes he loved the vadas too….

So that was our tea time snack today….yummy sabudana  vadas…want to eat some?

Ingredients

Sago-1 cup

Potatoes-1/2 cup mashed

Roasted peanuts-1 cup(without skin)

Green chilli paste-1 tsp

Salt to taste.

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Coriander leaves-2 tbsp

Method

Soak sabudana in enough water for 6 hours.

After 6 hrs drain of excess water .Boil potatoes and mash it.Add little salt to it

Dry roast peanuts and grind coarsely.

Mix soaked sago,potatoes,peanuts,green chilli paste, salt, cumin seeds, coriander leaves well and make into balls. Press the balls between your palms to forman oval shape.

Fry in oil till golden brown.

Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

Notes

You can add either of the following-:

Red chilli powder 1 tsp instead of green chilli paste

Chaat masala-1 tsp

Ginger chopped-1 tsp

Chilli Bread (With lots of cheese)

Loved this  recipe….something different from the usual bread sandwich or bread upma we are used to….Slightly spicy and very very cheesy….

Well adding cheese is my addition to the recipe and it did enhance the taste…you can add lots of cheese …..the cheesier the better…Actually the recipe tastes good even without the cheese….and is healthier too…

This recipe is an easy stir fry  ….an easy to make break fast or a crunchy tea snack….crunchy bread tossed in the sauces and oozing with cheese….I ‘m lovin It…

Ingredients

Bread-4 slices

Big onion-1long cut

Tomato-1 long cut

Capsicum- ½ of a medium sized long cut

Green chilli-2 chopped

Ginger-3/4 tsp chopped

Garlic-1 clove chopped

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp or less

Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Red chilli sauce-1 tsp

Tomato sauce/ ketchup-2 tsp or enough to coat the bread slices

Cheese-3 cubes(I used Amul cubes)

Salt

Oil

Method

Toast the bread slices at a low flame till crisp and brown. Chop them into squares using scissors.

Cut capsicum , onion and tomatoes into thin slices and grate cheese. Keep aside.

Take oil in a thick bottomed vessel and add garlic, ginger and green chilli. Saute for 1 minute in low flame.

Add onions and saute till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell leaves.

Add tomatoes and stir.Add capsicum also.Add red chilli powder and salt.Stir and mix well.

Add in the sliced bread squares.

Add tomato ketchup and red chilli sauce and stir gently so that it coats the bread slices well.Be careful as the bread slices should not crumble apart.

Add grated cheese and give a good stir.

Serve hot.

Note:

You can sprinkle some pepper powder while adding salt.

Shaan -E - Paneer ,Paneer in Tomato and Onion Gravy

I christened this Paneer dish Shaan -E- Paneer. Well I cannot say its my own invention because it is a nice mix of many recipes I collected. But this Paneer recipe has been tested again and again and has become a personal hit too.

Well so another paneer recipe on its way…The  best part about this recipe is that it is cooked with fresh whole masalas and in  the rich taste of butter.The red chillies moreover impart its red colour to THE Shaan E Paneer.Not a health freak’s diet  menu I agree but can be an occasional  pardonable exception once in a while….for me atleast….

I'm looking forward to dinner tonight ….some phulkas dipped into the rich  finger licking Shan –E -Paneer.....Ummmm….The thought itself is so tasty!

Here is the recipe….

Ingredients

Paneer cubes-1/2 cup

Tomatoes-1 cup or 3 small sized

Onion-1/2 cup

Cashew nuts-1/4 cup

Green chilli-2

Cloves-4

Cardamom-3

Cinnamon sticks-11/2 inch

Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp

Butter-2 tbsp+3 tbsp

Cream-1/4 cup

Red chilli-10

Coriander powder -1/2 tbsp

Cumin seeds-1 tsp

Method

In a Pressure cooker add 2 tbsp and sauté cinnamon,cloves and cardamom,then onions till brown. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté.

Add redchilli and sauté. Add tomatoes chopped  big and green chilli. Sprinkle salt and mix.

Pressure cook above for 5 whistles.Keep aside to cool

Meanwhile soak cashewnuts and grind to fine paste

Drain the cooked mixture into a  pan through a sieve. Then empty the mixture in the sieve into a mixer and grind. Drain the mixture in the mixer again with the help of a sieve.

Add the drained pulpy,clear  mixture to a non stick pan with 3 tbsp butter and cook till it thickens.Add cashenut paste also. Pls note the thicker the tastier(you  can thicken it upto a stage till oil seperates )

Take little butter and add cream and combine to the above.

Take some oil and add cumin seeds .Reduce flame and add coriander powder. Add  thickened paste to this and mix.

Add paneer cubes and stir well. You may add water as required.

Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes.

Serve with hot chapathis.